I like trying new varieties but will make sure they'll grow in my area before I buy them. Especially plants or trees. They're way too expensive to not check out first.

Years ago, I tried growing broccoli, cabbage and Brussel sprouts but they never did very well and were eaten up by bugs. I don't grow them anymore. Then last year I had the end of a store-bought cabbage I tossed under some straw in the side yard garden sprout and make a small head, which I cut and used. The plant is still alive. Now it looks like it's trying to form two heads. It's lived through two snowfalls and ice. I occasionally cut some of the leaves to make things with. Going to cut some tomorrow for yakisoba.

I really want to grow an avocado tree here, but it would die in our Winters.

I am a terrible gardener. And I live in a paradise where everything grows easily. I used to work hard at planting herbs and vegetables and sunflowers when my children were little as a fun, instructive activity. Now all gardening is outsourced. We have a ton of white roses and lavender around the house.

My husband just bought some hydroponic artificial light growing set up. He put in lots of strawberries and a bunch of herbs, we'll see what happens.

I get overly ambitious in the book buying department. I am so behind right now, there are four books on my reading table and three more arriving tomorrow.

PS I highly recommend growing giant sunflowers, even I can manage that and it is a joy to watch them shoot up.

PPS Radishes are the quickest and easiest vegetable to grow, in case anyone else out there who is not a great gardener but still wants to help children play in the dirt and enjoy growing their own food.

I actually consider myself a.......competent gardener. I am much better with roses and other flowers than I am edible plants. Except tomatoes. Tomatoes are so incredibly easy to grow I think everyone can do it. And I thoroughly enjoy seeing progress on anything. SO likes to make fun of me for how excited I get at the simplest things, like when the first tomato sets on the plant or when I see the first teeny tiny little bunch of grapes on the vines, or when the bulbs I planted in the fall start to poke through the earth. I celebrate every tiny success. But I also get extremely distressed when things do not go my way. I was devastated when that avocado tree died, and angry when the fig tree died, as my one neighbor has a MASSIVE one and never does anything to it...so HOW?!?!?!? Same with her pear tree. She has HUNDREDS of those red pears every year, never does anything to the tree, never does anything with the fruit. She lets the deer pick it clean. I try to plant a fruit tree...poof...dead. The only somewhat positive thing that my failures has brought about is slightly more realistic expectations. I mean, I haven't yet gotten the sense to not buy 2 pawpaw trees when I know nothing about them, but I will not be completely shocked if they do not thrive. Sad yes, but not shocked.

I don't even know what a pawpaw is, pretty sure it won't grow here, but now I have to have one. So, in answer to your question, yes, I buy a ridiculous amount of seeds and plants every year. And, mid summer every single year, I tell myself, I will not do this again.

Just to return the enabling favour, have you tried growing Amaranth (love lies bleeding)? It was one of my rash purchases last year. I was told by several people it needed a longer growing season than we have here, but I planted seeds anyways and it was one of my most successful potted plants. Really spectacular.

Damn rabbits ate 2 of my plums to the ground. Good thing I bought five, eh?

Lordy, no! I have a very brown thumb - about the only plants I can keep alive are in my AeroGarden.

I get overly ambitious in the book buying department. I am so behind right now, there are four books on my reading table and three more arriving tomorrow.

This is completely normal and not overly ambitious at all. ;-)

I'm a pretty good gardener, but did go a bit crazy for hostas beginning a few years ago. Almost all have survived, but only some are actually thriving. This year I hope to a) move the laggards around and hope they do better in other spots and b) not buy any new ones (ha!).

Paw paws, I know well -- they are understory trees, needing dappled shade for their first couple years but tolerating up to a half-day sun when mature. They like good soil and a lot of water and grow well along stream beds. Flowers are interesting early in spring and fruits are delicious in early fall -- creamy texture, mix of banana and strawberry plus something floral taste is a good description. Good for butterflies, too, especially zebra swallowtail caterpillars :-)

And yes, I'm guilty of overbuying and over-reaching my gardening skills. But if you don't stretch, you don't know what you can achieve. And you won't experience the joy of trying something new and seeing it thrive.

My sincere apologies to all the plants I've bought and killed over the decades, lol.

Yep, it's called "Spring Fever" and it strikes here every winter. I've had to learn how to resist and build up an immunity to it as I'm getting too old to do it all. I also grow cabbages and broccoli twice (Spring & Fall crops) but I buy transplants rather than start them from seed just to make it a bit easier.